Bepti/es (I ml Ainphihians of Illinois. 287 



\'ar. sayi. 



cv<//??;e>-.sY////, Sclilegel, Essai Fhys. ISerp., 1837, p. 157 — lid. and 



Gir., ("at. N. A. Rept., Pt. I., 1853, p. 151. 

 PHijiiphis sdjii, subsp. myi, Davis and Rice, Bull. 111. State Lab. 



Nat. Hist, I., No. 5, 1883, p. 38. 

 Pifyophis ciiteiiifcr, var. sd.yi, S. (xarman, Mem. Mus. Comp. 



Zool., 1883, pp. 52, 150. 



Var. bellona. 



('hiircliiUid bel/oiKi. 13d. and Gir., Stansbury's Explor. and Surv. 



Great Salt Lake, 1853, p. 350. 

 PifiKjpMs billniKi. Rd. and Gir. Cat. N. A. Rept., Pt. I., 1853, 



p. 66. 

 Fityophis catenifer, var. heJloiia, S. Garman, Mem. Mus. Comp. 



Zool.. 1883, pp. 53, 151. 



Large. Head large, wide behind, snout somewhat pointed. 

 Outer dorsal scales smooth, the median rows carinate. Rostral 

 plate wedged between the internasals, sometimes reaching the 

 prefrontals. Prefrontals in a transverse series of one or two 

 pairs. Sometimes with a small extra plate in advance of the 

 frontal. Frontal large, its lateral margins parallel or conver- 

 gent posteriorly. Parietals large, with a linear impression, as 

 if mutilated. One or two loreals, one or two anteorbitals; if 

 two, the inferior is much the smaller. From two to four post- 

 orbitals. Supralabials eight, the fourth or fifth reaching the 

 orbit, seventh largest. Eleven to thirteen infralabials, gradu- 

 ally increasing in size to the seventh, thence diminishing. 

 Rows of dorsal scales from twenty-five to thirty-five. Ventrals 

 209-243. Subcaudals 52-7 L 



Color above from yellowish white to reddish brown, with 

 a dorsal series of large black or brown spots, and with two or 

 three series of smaller spots on each side. Beneath yellow, 

 more or less blotched with black. A black bar, arched for- 

 wards, generally extends from orbit to orbit across the head. 

 Another black bar extends from the supraciliary plate to the 

 angle of the mouth, crossing the seventh and eighth upper 

 labials. Labials more or less widely edged with black. 



Total length, ()1.75; tail 8. 



Prairies in all parts of the State. Rockland (Nat. Mus.), 

 Normal, southern Illinois (Nat. Mus.). 



